


Message

by owlmoose



Category: Final Fantasy X-2
Genre: F/M, Flash Fic, Post-Canon, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-10 22:59:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5604148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlmoose/pseuds/owlmoose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he gets a look at the Crimson Spheres after the defeat of Vegnagun, Nooj realizes that one is missing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Message

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the dialogue line meme on Tumblr, to the prompt "Paine/Nooj, "did you get my letter?" (although that exact line doesn't appear in the story).

Paine upended her knapsack, and the spheres poured out, clattering onto Nooj’s desk. “As promised,” she said, stepping back to fold up the cloth bag. “All the spheres the Gullwings collected on our journeys, minus a couple that we lost or got broken.” She waved her hand over the colorful pile. “These yellow ones are the dresspheres; we need them back, once they’ve been viewed and cataloged. But the others you can keep. Or the Youth League, whatever you guys end up deciding.”

“Thank you.” Nooj stood up to get a better look at the spheres, glowing in their various iridescent hues: pale blue, sparkling yellow, soft purple, and the tell-tale red of the Crimson Spheres, the only remaining records of the Crimson Squad. Naturally, those ten were the spheres that drew his eyes. They told a story he remembered all too well: the story of the second worst week of his life. Or perhaps, by some lights, the best. He raised his eyes to Paine, who had started sorting the spheres into rows. “Only ten Crimson Spheres?” he asked. “I thought there would have been more.”

She shrugged. “There might be more, scattered around the island, or hidden by Kinoc in Bevelle. I know I recorded dozens more myself.” She raised an eyebrow. “Any in particular you think are missing?”

“Well.” Having opened the question, Nooj found himself reluctant to ask it. But they had put off this conversation long enough. “There was one I remember, one which I recorded myself. For, for you. I had hoped, perhaps…”

“Oh.” Paine nodded, slowly. “That sphere.” A flush crept up the back of Nooj’s neck as she reached into her personal pack and pulled out another red sphere. “Yeah. It was buried behind a bush on the Highroad. We didn’t need it to open the lock, so I… kept it aside. It was more than I wanted the others to know, then.” She tossed the sphere from hand to hand.

Nooj cleared his throat. “So. You watched it, then?”

She brought up her other hand to cradle the sphere in both palms. “I did.” She glanced up from the sphere to catch his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I did.” He nodded at the sphere. “That was how. I was going to give the sphere to you, after. If we both survived. And then…” He spread his hand. There was no need to go into it. She knew it all as well as he did. “I have apologized, and I will do so again, as many times as you need.”

She smiled at that, then shook her head. “It’s done. It’s all done.” She set the sphere down on the desk. “I’d rather think about the future, wouldn’t you?” Putting her hands behind her back, she leaned over the table. “Especially if we can find a future together.”

Nooj let out a breath of unexpected relief. “So, then…”

Paine came up on her tiptoes, leaned over the desk, and kissed him. “Yes,” she said. “Me, too.”


End file.
